Quarterback Caleb Williams and different members of the Chicago Bears have not hidden this offseason that they’re eyeing a visit to the Tremendous Bowl coming off the membership’s postseason look that included a wild-card playoff win over the rival Green Bay Packers.
After the complete 2026 NFL schedule was formally launched on Thursday night, ESPN’s Dan Graziano shared some dangerous information for Bears followers who’re enthusiastic about what the membership may accomplish later this 12 months.
Is historical past already in opposition to the 2026 Bears?
“The Bears have the toughest schedule within the NFL, primarily based on the 2025 win/loss information of the groups they will play in 2026,” Graziano explained. “…The final staff to win a playoff recreation after getting into the season with the toughest schedule by that metric was the 2016 Falcons. Over the previous 10 seasons, seven of these groups missed the playoffs fully.”
As Courtney Cronin of ESPN famous, schedule-makers positioned the Bears in seven standalone home windows and in addition in three prime-time video games from Week 7 via Week 9. Chicago opens the season with a matchup on the Carolina Panthers, a house recreation versus the rival Minnesota Vikings and a house contest in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles. Carolina and Philadelphia performed in final season’s postseason match, whereas the Vikings ended final season with a report of 9-8.
The NFC North ought to once more be stuffed with good groups
“The Bears gained an NFC North division during which actually each different staff had a profitable report final season,” Graziano added. “The Lions and Vikings ought to bounce again to contender standing, and the Packers had been a playoff staff final season, together with the Bears. Chicago performs all three of these groups — plus the Bills — over the ultimate month of the season.”
Final season, Williams recorded seven comeback victories
after trailing within the fourth quarter of video games from Week 1 via the playoff win over Inexperienced Bay. Whereas that is a exceptional accomplishment for any quarterback, not to mention a second-year starter, it additionally exhibits how in a different way issues may have gone for the 2025 Bears.
Briefly, Williams and Co. will possible must be higher over the primary three quarters of video games this coming fall for Chicago to make a second straight journey to the playoffs.
